Thomas Wiegand, Berlin DE

Thomas Wiegand, Berlin DE

Patent application number

Description

Published

20080298464

Process and Arrangement for Encoding Video Pictures - Today's video codecs require the intelligent choice between many coding options. This choice can efficiently be done using Lagrangian coder control. But Lagrangian coder control only provides results given a particular Lagrange parameter, which correspond to some unknown transmission rate. On the other hand, rate control algorithms provide coding results at a given bitrate but without the optimization performance of Lagrangian coder control. The combination of rate control and Lagrangian optimization for hybrid video coding is investigated. A new approach is suggested to incorporate these two known methods into the video coder control using macroblock mode decision and quantizer adaptation. The rate-distortion performance of the proposed approach is validated and analyzed via experimental results. It is shown that for most bit-rates the combined rate control and Lagrangian optimization producing a constant number of bits per picture achieves similar rate distortion performance as the constant slope case only using Lagrangian optimization.

12-04-2008

20090074057

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

03-19-2009

20090080510

Information Signal, Apparatus and Method for Encoding an Information Content, and Apparatus and Method for Error Correcting an Information Signal - A scalable information signal is protected in a more efficient and/or safe way by adopting the inter-relationship among the plurality of portions of different levels within the information signal in FEC protecting the information signal. In particular, portions of the information signal representing the information content at a higher level should have associated therewith redundancy information which is dependent not only on that part of this portion being disjoint to a respective overlapping lower level portion. Rather, redundancy information should also be dependent on the latter part so as to increase the chances of success of forward error correcting an error within the lower level portion at the reception side.

03-26-2009

20090080521

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

03-26-2009

20090080532

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

03-26-2009

20090135908

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

05-28-2009

20090135915

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

05-28-2009

20090141803

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

06-04-2009

20090141806

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

06-04-2009

20090168894

PICTURE CODING USING ADAPTIVE COLOR SPACE TRANSFORMATION - The present invention is based on the finding that pictures or a picture stream can be encoded highly efficient when a representation of pictures is chosen that is having different picture blocks, wherein each picture block is carrying picture information for picture areas smaller than the full area of the picture and when the different picture blocks are carrying the picture information either in a first color-space representation or in a second color-space-representation. Since different color-space-representations have individual inherent properties with respect to their describing parameters, choosing an appropriate color-space-representation individually for the picture blocks results in an encoded representation of pictures that is having a better quality at a given size or bit rate.

Apparatus and Method for Coding an Information Signal into a Data Stream, Converting the Data Stream and Decoding the Data Stream - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream. Due to this, decoders surely detect the beginnings and endings of access units and therefore are not liable to a buffer overflow despite a removal of data packets from the data stream before arrival at the decoder.

11-19-2009

20100020866

QUALITY SCALABLE CODING - A more efficient way of addressing different bit-depths, or different bit-depths and chroma sampling format requirements is achieved by using a low bit-depth and/or low-chroma resolution representation for providing a respective base layer data stream representing this low bit-depth and/or low-chroma resolution representation as well as for providing a higher bit-depth and/or higher chroma resolution representation so that a respective prediction residual may be encoded in order to obtain a higher bit-depth and/or higher chroma resolution representation. By this measure, an encoder is enabled to store a base-quality representation of a picture or a video sequence, which can be decoded by any legacy decoder or video decoder, together with an enhancement signal for higher bit-depth and/or reduced chroma sub-sampling, which may be ignored by legacy decoders or video decoders.

01-28-2010

20100020867

Quality Scalable Video Data Stream - An apparatus for generating a quality-scalable video data stream includes a coder for coding a video signal using block-wise transformation to obtain transform blocks of transformation coefficient values for a picture of the video signal, a predetermined scan order with possible scan positions being defined among the transformation coefficient values within the transform blocks so that in each transform block, for each possible scan position, at least one of the transformation coefficient values within the respective transform block belongs to the respective possible scan position; and a generator for forming, for each of a plurality of quality layers, a video sub-data stream containing scan range information indicating a sub-set of the possible scan positions, and transform coefficient information on transformation coefficient values belonging to the sub-set of possible scan positions such that the sub-set of each quality layer includes at least one possible scan position not included by the sub-set of any other of the plurality of quality layers.

01-28-2010

20100040138

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

02-18-2010

20100040139

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

02-18-2010

20100040140

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

02-18-2010

20100040148

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

02-18-2010

20100158102

Apparatus and Method for Coding an Information Signal into a Data Stream, Converting the Data Stream and Decoding the Data Stream - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream. Due to this, decoders surely detect the beginnings and endings of access units and therefore are not liable to a buffer overflow despite a removal of data packets from the data stream before arrival at the decoder.

06-24-2010

20100172408

Apparatus and Method for Coding an Information Signal into a Data Stream, Converting the Data Stream and Decoding the Data Stream - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream. Due to this, decoders surely detect the beginnings and endings of access units and therefore are not liable to a buffer overflow despite a removal of data packets from the data stream before arrival at the decoder.

07-08-2010

20100208735

Apparatus and Method for Coding an Information Signal into a Data Stream, Converting the Data Stream and Decoding the Data Stream - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream. Due to this, decoders surely detect the beginnings and endings of access units and therefore are not liable to a buffer overflow despite a removal of data packets from the data stream before arrival at the decoder.

08-19-2010

20100208754

Apparatus and Method for Coding an Information Signal into a Data Stream, Converting the Data Stream and Decoding the Data Stream - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream. Due to this, decoders surely detect the beginnings and endings of access units and therefore are not liable to a buffer overflow despite a removal of data packets from the data stream before arrival at the decoder.

08-19-2010

20100208791

Apparatus and Method for Coding an Information Signal into a Data Stream, Converting the Data Stream and Decoding the Data Stream - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream. Due to this, decoders surely detect the beginnings and endings of access units and therefore are not liable to a buffer overflow despite a removal of data packets from the data stream before arrival at the decoder.

08-19-2010

20100208792

Apparatus and Method for Coding an Information Signal into a Data Stream, Converting the Data Stream and Decoding the Data Stream - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream. Due to this, decoders surely detect the beginnings and endings of access units and therefore are not liable to a buffer overflow despite a removal of data packets from the data stream before arrival at the decoder.

08-19-2010

20100208808

Apparatus and Method for Coding an Information Signal into a Data Stream, Converting the Data Stream and Decoding the Data Stream - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream. Due to this, decoders surely detect the beginnings and endings of access units and therefore are not liable to a buffer overflow despite a removal of data packets from the data stream before arrival at the decoder.

08-19-2010

20100260260

SCALABLE VIDEO CODING SUPPORTING PIXEL VALUE REFINEMENT SCALABILITY - A more efficient way of enabling scalability in terms of pixel value resolution is achieved by temporally predicting a first and a second representation of a video material separately to each other with the first representation being of a lower pixel value resolution than the second representation, with mapping the first prediction residual or a reconstructed version thereof from the first pixel value resolution to the second pixel value resolution dependent on the second prediction signal obtained from temporally predicting the second representation, and by coding a second prediction residual being of the second pixel value resolution as representing a deviation between a combination of the second and third prediction signals and the second representation.

BIT-DEPTH SCALABILITY - To increase efficiency of a bit-depth scalable data-stream an inter-layer prediction is obtained by mapping samples of the representation of the picture or video source data with a first picture sample bit-depth from a first dynamic range corresponding to the first picture sample bit-depth to a second dynamic range greater than the first dynamic range and corresponding to a second picture sample bit-depth being higher than the first picture sample bit-depth by use of one or more global mapping functions being constant within the picture or video source data or varying at a first granularity, and a local mapping function locally modifying the one or more global mapping functions and varying at a second granularity smaller than the first granularity, with forming the quality-scalable data-stream based on the local mapping function such that the local mapping function is derivable from the quality-scalable data-stream.

04-21-2011

20110305275

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ERROR RESILENCE, RANDOM ACCESS AND RATE CONTROL IN SCALABLE VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS - Systems and methods for error resilient transmission, rate control, and random access in video communication systems that use scalable video coding are provided. Error resilience is obtained by using information from low resolution layers to conceal or compensate loss of high resolution layer information. The same mechanism is used for rate control by selectively eliminating high resolution layer information from transmitted signals, which elimination can be compensated at the receiver using information from low resolution layers. Further, random access or switching between low and high resolutions is also achieved by using information from low resolution layers to compensate for high resolution spatial layer packets that may have not been received prior to the switching time.

12-15-2011

20120002728

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSCODING BETWEEN SCALABLE AND NON-SCALABLE VIDEO CODECS - Systems and methods are provided for performing transcoding in video communication system that use scalable video coding. The systems and methods can be used to transcode or convert input signals having certain characteristics into desired output signals having different characteristics requirements. The systems and methods are based on compressed domain processing, partial decoding-reencoding, or full decoding-reencoding with side information, depending on the specific characteristics of the input and desired output signals.

01-05-2012

20120014434

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THINNING OF SCALABLE VIDEO CODING BIT-STREAMS - A system for videoconferencing that offers, among other features, extremely low end-to-end delay as well as very high scalability. The system accommodates heterogeneous receivers and networks, as well as the best-effort nature of networks such as those based on the Internet Protocol. The system relies on scalable video coding to provide a coded representation of a source video signal at multiple temporal, quality, and spatial resolutions. These resolutions are represented by distinct bitstream components that are created at each end-user encoder. System architecture and processes called SVC Thinning allow the separation of data into data used for prediction in other pictures and data not used for prediction in other pictures. SVC Thinning processes, which can be performed at video conferencing endpoints or at MCUs, can selectively remove or replace with fewer bits the data not used for prediction in other pictures from transmitted bit streams. This separation and selective removal or replacement of data for transmission allows a trade-off between scalability support (i.e. number of decodable video resolutions), error resiliency and coding efficiency.

01-19-2012

20120114044

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

05-10-2012

20120147949

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

06-14-2012

20120147950

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODNG - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

06-14-2012

20120147951

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

06-14-2012

20120147965

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

06-14-2012

20120155539

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

06-21-2012

20120155544

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

06-21-2012

20120155545

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

06-21-2012

20120155546

VIDEO FRAME ENCODING AND DECODING - A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.

06-21-2012

20120243612

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CODING AN INFORMATION SIGNAL INTO A DATA STREAM, CONVERTING THE DATA STREAM AND DECODING THE DATA STREAM - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit. The consecutive access units may correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream between data stream source and decoder without incorporating any hints into the datastream. Therefore, decoders surely detect the access unit beginnings and endings and are not liable to buffer overflow.

09-27-2012

20120250759

Apparatus and Method for Generating a Coded Video Sequence and for Decoding a Coded Video Sequence by Using an Intermediate Layer Residual Value Prediction - A video coder performs a motion-compensated prediction both in the base layer and in an enhancement layer to determine motion data of the enhancement layer by using the motion data from the base layer and/or to predict sequences of residual error pictures after the motion-compensated prediction in the enhancement layer by using sequences of residual error pictures from the base layer via an intermediate layer predictor. On the decoder side, an intermediate layer combiner is used for canceling this intermediate layer prediction. Thereby, the data rate is improved compared to scalability schemes without intermediate layer prediction with the same picture quality.

10-04-2012

20120250760

Apparatus and Method for Generating a Coded Video Sequence and for Decoding a Coded Video Sequence by Using an Intermediate Layer Residual Value Prediction - A video coder performs a motion-compensated prediction both in the base layer and in an enhancement layer to determine motion data of the enhancement layer by using the motion data from the base layer and/or to predict sequences of residual error pictures after the motion-compensated prediction in the enhancement layer by using sequences of residual error pictures from the base layer via an intermediate layer predictor. On the decoder side, an intermediate layer combiner is used for canceling this intermediate layer prediction. Thereby, the data rate is improved compared to scalability schemes without intermediate layer prediction with the same picture quality.

10-04-2012

20120250769

HYBRID VIDEO CODING - A further coding efficiency increase is achieved by, in hybrid video coding, additionally predicting the residual signal of a current frame by motion-compensated prediction using a reference residual signal of a previous frame. In other words, in order to further reduce the energy of the final residual signal, i.e. the one finally transmitted, and thus increase the coding efficiency, it is proposed to additionally predict the residual signal by motion-compensated prediction using the reconstructed residual signals of previously coded frames.

10-04-2012

20120250774

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CODING AN INFORMATION SIGNAL INTO A DATA STREAM, CONVERTING THE DATA STREAM AND DECODING THE DATA STREAM - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit. The consecutive access units may correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream between data stream source and decoder without incorporating any hints into the datastream. Therefore, decoders surely detect the access unit beginnings and endings and are not liable to buffer overflow.

10-04-2012

20120300832

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CODING AN INFORMATION SIGNAL INTO A DATA STREAM, CONVERTING THE DATA STREAM AND DECODING THE DATA STREAM - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream.

11-29-2012

20120300833

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CODING AN INFORMATION SIGNAL INTO A DATA STREAM, CONVERTING THE DATA STREAM AND DECODING THE DATA STREAM - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream.

11-29-2012

20120300851

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CODING AN INFORMATION SIGNAL INTO A DATA STREAM, CONVERTING THE DATA STREAM AND DECODING THE DATA STREAM - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream.

11-29-2012

20120300852

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CODING AN INFORMATION SIGNAL INTO A DATA STREAM, CONVERTING THE DATA STREAM AND DECODING THE DATA STREAM - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream.

11-29-2012

20120300853

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CODING AN INFORMATION SIGNAL INTO A DATA STREAM, CONVERTING THE DATA STREAM AND DECODING THE DATA STREAM - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream.

11-29-2012

20120300855

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CODING AN INFORMATION SIGNAL INTO A DATA STREAM, CONVERTING THE DATA STREAM AND DECODING THE DATA STREAM - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream.

11-29-2012

20120300856

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CODING AN INFORMATION SIGNAL INTO A DATA STREAM, CONVERTING THE DATA STREAM AND DECODING THE DATA STREAM - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream.

11-29-2012

20120307912

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CODING AN INFORMATION SIGNAL INTO A DATA STREAM, CONVERTING THE DATA STREAM AND DECODING THE DATA STREAM - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream.

12-06-2012

20120307914

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CODING AN INFORMATION SIGNAL INTO A DATA STREAM, CONVERTING THE DATA STREAM AND DECODING THE DATA STREAM - More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream.

12-06-2012

20130027230

ENTROPY CODING - An encoder for encoding a sequence of symbols is described which includes an assigner configured to assign a number of parameters to each symbol of the sequence of symbols based on information contained within previous symbols of the sequence of symbols; a plurality of entropy encoders each of which is configured to convert the symbols forwarded to the respective entropy encoder into a respective bitstream; and a selector configured to forward each symbol to a selected one of the plurality of entropy encoders, the selection depending on the number of parameters assigned to the respective symbol.

01-31-2013

20130034157

INHERITANCE IN SAMPLE ARRAY MULTITREE SUBDIVISION - A better compromise between encoding complexity and achievable rate distortion ratio, and/or to achieve a better rate distortion ratio is achieved by using multitree sub-divisioning not only in order to subdivide a continuous area, namely the sample array, into leaf regions, but using the intermediate regions also to share coding parameters among the corresponding collocated leaf blocks. By this measure, coding procedures performed in tiles—leaf regions—locally, may be associated with coding parameters individually without having to, however, explicitly transmit the whole coding parameters for each leaf region separately. Rather, similarities may effectively exploited by using the multitree subdivision.

02-07-2013

20130034159

DECODER, ENCODER, METHOD FOR DECODING AND ENCODING, DATA STREAM - A decoder for decoding a picture is described, having: an extractor adapted to extract a first subset of syntax elements from a received data stream and a second subset of syntax elements being disjoint from the first subset of syntax elements, wherein the second subset of syntax elements has filter indication information defining a first filter for a first region of at least two different regions of the picture and a second filter for a second region of the at least two different regions of the picture; a pre-decoder adapted to pre-decode the picture based on the first subset of syntax elements to produce a reconstructed version of the picture; and a filter stage adapted to apply the first filter to the first region of the reconstructed picture to obtain a first filtered version of the reconstructed version of the picture and to apply the second filter to the second region of the first filtered version of the reconstructed version of the picture to obtain a second filtered version of the reconstructed version of the picture.

02-07-2013

20130034171

INTER-PLANE PREDICTION - A better rate distortion ratio is achieved by making interrelationships between coding parameters of different planes available for exploitation for the aim of redundancy reduction despite the additional overhead resulting from the need to signal the inter-plane prediction information to the decoder. In particular, the decision to use inter plane prediction or not may be performed for a plurality of planes individually. Additionally or alternatively, the decision may be done on a block basis considering one secondary plane.

SAMPLE REGION MERGING - A favorable merging or grouping of simply connected regions into which the array of information samples is sub-divided, is coded with a reduced amount of data. To this end, a predetermined relative locational relationship is defined enabling an identifying, for a predetermined simply connected region, of simply connected regions within the plurality of simply connected regions which have the predetermined relative locational relationship to the predetermined simply connected region. Namely, if the number is zero, a merge indicator for the predetermined simply connected region may be absent within the data stream. In other embodiments, spatial sub-division is performed depending on a first subset of syntax elements, followed by combining spatially neighboring simply connected regions depending on a second subset of syntax elements, to obtain an intermediate sub-division.

02-14-2013

20130039426

VIDEO DECODER AND A VIDEO ENCODER USING MOTION-COMPENSATED PREDICTION - A video decoder using motion-compensated prediction has a predictor configured to predict a first subset of parameters of a plurality of motion parameters, defining the motion-compensated prediction of a predetermined region of a picture of a video, to obtain a prediction for the first subset. The video decoder further has a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the first subset of parameters from the prediction of the first subset and residual information for the first subset contained in a data stream, to obtain a reconstruction of the first subset. The predictor is further configured to predict a second subset of parameters of the plurality of motion parameters, being disjoint from the first subset, using the reconstruction of the first subset.

02-14-2013

20130039428

HYBRID VIDEO DECODER, HYBRID VIDEO ENCODER, DATA STREAM - A hybrid video decoder has an extractor, a predictor and a reconstructor. The extractor is configured to extract motion information and residual information for a first block of a current picture from a data stream. The predictor is configured to provide, depending on the motion information, a prediction for the block of the current picture by interpolating a reference picture, using a combination of an IIR filter and FIR filter. The reconstructor is configured to reconstruct the current picture at the block using the prediction for the block and the residual information for the block. Furthermore, a hybrid video encoder, a data stream, a method for encoding a video and a method for decoding a video are described.

02-14-2013

20130051472

Quality Scalable Video Data Stream - An apparatus for generating a quality-scalable video data stream includes a coder for coding a video signal using block-wise transformation to obtain transform blocks of transformation coefficient values for a picture of the video signal, a predetermined scan order with possible scan positions being defined among the transformation coefficient values within the transform blocks so that in each transform block, for each possible scan position, at least one of the transformation coefficient values within the respective transform block belongs to the respective possible scan position; and a generator for forming, for each of a plurality of quality layers, a video sub-data stream containing scan range information indicating a sub-set of the possible scan positions, and transform coefficient information on transformation coefficient values belonging to the sub-set of possible scan positions such that the sub-set of each quality layer includes at least one possible scan position not included by the sub-set of any other of the plurality of quality layers.

02-28-2013

20130127844

FILLING DISOCCLUSIONS IN A VIRTUAL VIEW - In accordance with a first aspect, filling disocclusions in a virtual view video has identifying a background portion of a first virtual view image of the virtual view video based on a depth/disparity map associated with a first virtual view image, updating a background sprite image based on the background portion of a first virtual view image, and filling a disoccluded area of a second virtual view image of the virtual view video based on a corresponding portion of the background sprite image. According to a second aspect, filling a disoccluded area in a virtual view image is performed by patch-based texture synthesis being responsive to a depth/disparity map associated with a virtual view image.

05-23-2013

20130147915

Multi-View Signal Codec - Embodiments are described which exploit a finding, according to which a higher compression rate or better rate/distortion ratio may be achieved by adopting or predicting second coding parameters used for encoding a second view of the multi-view signal from first coding parameters used in encoding a first view of the multi-view signal. In other words, the inventors found out that the redundancies between views of a multi-view signal are not restricted to the views themselves, such as the video information thereof, but that the coding parameters in parallely encoding these views show similarities which may be exploited in order to further improve the coding rate.

06-13-2013

20130187798

ENTROPY ENCODING AND DECODING SCHEME - In PIPE coding, where alphabet symbols are distributed among a plurality of specialized entropy en/decoders according to their probability distribution estimate, a categorizing stage is provided where source symbols to be encoded are sub-divided into a first substream which is subject to VLC coding, and a second substream which is subject to PIPE coding. By this measure, source symbols having an appropriate symbol probability distribution, i.e. a probability distribution suitable for being efficiently coded by means of VLC coding without the deficiencies outlined above in the introductory portion of the specification of the present application, may be categorized as VLC coded symbols whereas other symbols may be treated as PIPE coded symbols and subject to PIPE coding, the coding complexity of which is higher than VLC coding, but at a better compression efficiency.

07-25-2013

20130279577

PICTURE CODING SUPPORTING BLOCK MERGING AND SKIP MODE - A coding efficiency increase is achieved by using a common signalization within the bitstream with regard to activation of merging and activation of the skip mode. One possible state of one or more syntax elements within the bitstream may signalize for a current sample set of a picture that the sample set is to be merged and has no prediction residual encoded and inserted into the bitstream. A common flag may signalize whether the coding parameters associated with a current sample set are to be set according to a merge candidate or to be retrieved from the bitstream, and whether the current sample set of the picture is to be reconstructed based on a prediction signal depending on the coding parameters associated with the current sample set, without any residual data, or to be reconstructed by refining the prediction signal depending on the coding parameters associated with the current sample set by means of residual data within the bitstream.

10-24-2013

20130287116

PICTURE CODING SUPPORTING BLOCK PARTITIONING AND BLOCK MERGING - A further coding efficiency increase may be achieved if for a current block of a picture, for which the bit stream signals one of supported partitioning patterns, a reversal of the partitioning by block merging is avoided. In particular, if the signaled one of the supported partitioning patterns specifies a subdivision of the block into two or more further blocks, a removal of certain coding parameter candidates for all further blocks, except a first further block of the further blocks in a coding order, is performed. Particularly, those coding parameter candidates are removed from the set of coding parameter candidates for the respective further block, the coding parameters of which are the same as coding parameters associated with any of the further blocks which, when being merged with the respective further block, would result in one of the supported partitioning pattern. This avoids redundancy between partitioning coding and merging coding.

10-31-2013

20130300591

ENTROPY ENCODING AND DECODING SCHEME - Decomposing a value range of the respective syntax elements into a sequence of n partitions with coding the components of z laying within the respective partitions separately with at least one by VCL coding and with at least one by PIPE or entropy coding is used to greatly increase the compression efficiency at a moderate coding overhead since the coding scheme used may be better adapted to the syntax element statistics. Accordingly, syntax elements are decomposed into a respective number n of source symbols s

11-14-2013

20140028793

HYBRID VIDEO CODING SUPPORTING INTERMEDIATE VIEW SYNTHESIS - Hybrid video decoder supporting intermediate view synthesis of an intermediate view video from a first- and a second-view video which are predictively coded into a multi-view data signal with frames of the second-view video being spatially subdivided into sub-regions and the multi-view data signal having a prediction mode is provided, having: an extractor configured to respectively extract, from the multi-view data signal, for sub-regions of the frames of the second-view video, a disparity vector and a prediction residual; a predictive reconstructor configured to reconstruct the sub-regions of the frames of the second-view video, by generating a prediction from a reconstructed version of a portion of frames of the first-view video using the disparity vectors and a prediction residual for the respective sub-regions; and an intermediate view synthesizer configured to reconstruct first portions of the intermediate view video.

01-30-2014

20140140400

ENTROPY CODING SUPPORTING MODE SWITCHING - A decoder for decoding a data stream into which media data is coded has a mode switch configured to activate a low-complexity mode or a high-efficiency mode depending on the data stream, an entropy decoding engine configured to retrieve each symbol of a sequence of symbols by entropy decoding using a selected one of a plurality of entropy decoding schemes, a desymbolizer configured to desymbolize the sequence of symbols to obtain a sequence of syntax elements, a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the media data based on the sequence of syntax elements, selection depending on the activated low-complexity mode or the high-efficiency mode. In another aspect, a desymbolizer is configured to perform desymbolization such that the control parameter varies in accordance with the data stream at a first rate in case of the high-efficiency mode being activated and the control parameter is constant irrespective of the data stream or changes depending on the data stream, but at a second lower rate in case of the low-complexity mode being activated.

05-22-2014

20140177707

ENTROPY CODING OF MOTION VECTOR DIFFERENCES - An entropy decoder is configured to, for horizontal and vertical components of motion vector differences, derive a truncated unary code from the data stream using context-adaptive binary entropy decoding with exactly one context per bin position of the truncated unary code, which is common for horizontal and vertical components of the motion vector differences, and an Exp-Golomb code using a constant equi-probability bypass mode to obtain the binarizations of the motion vector differences. A desymbolizer is configured to debinarize the binarizations of the motion vector difference syntax elements to obtain integer values of the horizontal and vertical components of the motion vector differences; A reconstructor is configured to reconstruct a video based on the integer values of the horizontal and vertical components of the motion vector differences.

06-26-2014

20140192870

System And Method For Providing Error Resilience, Random Access And Rate Control In Scalable Video Communications - Systems and methods for error resilient transmission, rate control, and random access in video communication systems that use scalable video coding are provided. Error resilience is obtained by using information from low resolution layers to conceal or compensate loss of high resolution layer information. The same mechanism is used for rate control by selectively eliminating high resolution layer information from transmitted signals, which elimination can be compensated at the receiver using information from low resolution layers. Further, random access or switching between low and high resolutions is also achieved by using information from low resolution layers to compensate for high resolution spatial layer packets that may have not been received prior to the switching time.

07-10-2014

20140198841

CONTEXT INTIALIZATION IN ENTROPY CODING - A decoder includes an entropy decoder configured to derive a number of bins of the binarizations from the data stream using binary entropy decoding by selecting a context among different contexts and updating probability states associated with the different contexts, dependent on previously decoded portions of the data stream; a desymbolizer configured to debinarize the binarizations of the syntax elements to obtain integer values of the syntax elements; a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the video based on the integer values of the syntax elements using a quantization parameter, wherein the entropy decoder is configured to distinguish between 126 probability states and to initialize the probability states associated with the different contexts according to a linear equation of the quantization parameter, wherein the entropy decoder is configured to, for each of the different contexts, derive a slope and an offset of the linear equation from first and second four bit parts of a respective 8 bit initialization value.

07-17-2014

20140210652

ENTROPY CODING - An encoder for encoding a sequence of symbols is described which has an assigner configured to assign a number of parameters to each symbol of the sequence of symbols based on information contained within previous symbols of the sequence of symbols; a plurality of entropy encoders each of which is configured to convert the symbols forwarded to the respective entropy encoder into a respective bitstream; and a selector configured to forward each symbol to a selected one of the plurality of entropy encoders, the selection depending on the number of parameters assigned to the respective symbol.